Why Lexington Dip Is The Hidden Gem Sauce Of The Barbecue World

Not all styles of barbecue are one in the same, because the various sauces that the meat is doused in varies by region. Those different sauces add distinct flavor profiles to the dish, whether it's spicy, sweet, smoky, or more tangy from ingredients like vinegar, sugar, peppers, and tomatoes. On its own, South Carolina has at least four types of barbecue sauce, and the one known as Lexington Dip is a sauce you can't look over.

The barbecue sauce is coined after its city of origin, Lexington, North Carolina. However, you can expect to find barbecue joints and smokehouses around North Carolina's Piedmont region that sling the sauce. Lexington Dip is vinegar-forward and also uses ketchup for a balance of flavors. It doesn't typically have a lot of ketchup, however, setting its flavor and consistency apart from other varieties. That means don't expect a thick barbecue sauce like you might find in a store-bought bottle, because Lexington Dip should have a thin consistency. Its other staple ingredients are often brown or white sugar to introduce sweetness and crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper for heat.

If you're lucky enough to find yourself in North Carolina's Piedmont region, find a place to try the authentic sauce like Lexington Barbecue, one of the best barbecue restaurants in the United States. And if you aren't fortunate to try it at a restaurant in the region, it's not terribly difficult to make from scratch. There are many variations and recipes online to choose from, but here are the core ingredients you'll need: Cider or distilled white vinegar, ketchup, crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper, white or brown sugar, and plenty of water to achieve that thin consistency the sauce is known for. A batch of Lexington sauce might also have hot sauce or apple juice for balance. 

The unique tomato-vinegar flavor and watery thinness of Lexington sauce lends itself to various meats. The obvious choice is pulled pork, like to upgrade our easy pulled pork recipe, on its own or piled high on a sandwich with slaw. The acidity from the vinegar will cut through the smokiness of the pulled pork, while the sugars and ketchup will add layers of flavor, too. Pulled pork isn't the only dish that will benefit from Lexington Dip, because it's often put on other smoked meats like brisket, chicken, and turkey, too. And while you're at it, here's everything else you need to know about North Carolina barbecue.